This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 17, 2012 - Tuesday Dave Spence, Missouri’s Republican nominee for governor, offered to reporters tours of the two businesses where he created jobs and, at one, amassed his wealth.
Gov. Jay Nixon, his Democratic rival, also focused Tuesday on jobs – by highlighting the latest drop in Missouri’s unemployment rate and by promising hundreds of union workers that he had their back.
“Right-to-work will not happen on my watch!” the governor declared at a St. Louis rally that featured the entire Democratic statewide ticket.
The two contrasting economic messages will likely be used as each man makes his case to voters during the remaining weeks before the Nov. 6 election.
Spence first guided reporters through a tour of Alpha Packaging, a firm that he expanded over 25 years to 860 employees before selling most of his interest to a private equity firm, and then Legacy Packaging, a smaller pharmaceutical-packaging company of 120 employees.
Spence noted that the Missouri Chamber of Commerce has honored both firms, as part of his overarching message that he knows how to create jobs.
Spence obtained the controlling interest of Legacy two years ago and expects its workforce almost to double in 18 months and its sales to more than double during that period.
Brad Raynor, Legacy’s director of sales and marketing, said Spence “did lead up through very tough times and get us where we are today.”
Nixon, meanwhile, began the day by lauding the latest jobs numbers that show Missouri’s unemployment rate has dropped to 6.9 percent – almost a full point lower than the national rate of 7.8 percent.
“With thousands of new jobs across our state, a consistently falling unemployment rate and our record-breaking exports, it’s clear that Missouri’s economy is moving forward,” Nixon said. “The jobs report issued today shows that Missouri employers have now created more than 46,000 new jobs in 2011 and 2012, while our unemployment rate is at the lowest point since December 2008.”
Nixon, McCaskill, Democratic ticket headline labor rally
Later Tuesday, the governor led off a series of speeches by the state’s entire Democratic ticket at a late-afternoon rally held in the St. Louis hall of Electrical Workers Local 1.
Also addressing the enthusiastic crowd: Susan Montee, running for lieutenant governor; Chris Koster, seeking re-election as attorney general; Clint Zweifel, seeking re-election as state treasurer; Jason Kander, running for secretary of state; and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
Nixon produced some of the loudest cheers when he declared that since he’s taken office, the state has added “41,000 more union members … 41,000 people who have a voice beyond their own.”
Nixon then jabbed at Spence over his plan, if elected, to press for legislative passage of “right to work’’ legislation, which would bar companies from requiring all workers to pay union dues if a majority vote for representation. (Spence has said he believes the change would create jobs.)
“We want to lift workers in this state up!” the governor shouted, as he then promised to block any right-to-work bill passed by the General Assembly.
Nixon also blasted Spence for his support from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is unpopular with labor over his actions to curb the power of public employee unions in his state. Nixon dubbed Walker “Cheesehead.”
Nixon called for labor support for the entire Democratic ticket, declaring, “Now, it’s time to play a little offense.”
